Beijing, Jan 25 (AFP/APP):A woman praying alone in front of shut temple gates was one of the only signs of Lunar New Year observances at Beijing’s Lama Temple on Saturday, as fears over a deadly new virus mount in China. The popular Tibetan Buddhist temple, which had more than 80,000 visitors during the holiday last year, is usually packed with crowds queuing to burn incense for good luck. The epicentre of the SARS-like virus is in central China, but it has spread to other regions, prompting authorities as far as the nation’s northern capital to close tourist attractions and cancel public events to prevent further contagion from a disease that has killed dozens and infected more than 1,000. Authorities even decided to stop long-distance bus services to and from the capital of 20 million from Sunday as part of efforts to control the spread of the virus, state media reported. Security guards loitered in front of Beijing’s Lama Temple on Lunar New Year, shooing away anyone who lingered for too long. A red sign on the closed front gate said the temple was closed until further notice “in order to guarantee the physical health of the religious masses and the … Continue reading Virus silences Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing